Am I Too Young for TKR?

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tajekaur45

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Hi this is my first time on this forum. I am 45 years old female and have bone on bone in my right knee. I have been advised that I am too young for TKR but was advised to get the shots. I am waiting to see an orthopedic surgeon and am worried. Do you guys feel that 45 is too young? Please help as I have gained 30 lbs and can't go to the gym due to the pain.
 
welcome 3.jpg
tajekaur45, so pleased you have joined us here on the forum. I have moved your post to a thread of its own so that you will get the attention you need and deserve. You could easily get lost and be overlooked in another member's thread.


No one is "TOO YOUNG" for a TKR. That is totally outdated thinking---this surgery should be about quality of life not your age. Shots are not going to do much, if anything, for bone on bone pain---and would just be putting off what really needs to be done.

I am going to going to give you a link to a form where you can score your activities and abilities in relation to your knee pain---print it out, fill it out, and take it with you to your appointment. It may help the surgeon see how your bone on bone pain is affecting your quality of life.
List of activities and abilities

Please look at our Library. It is full of informative articles that will explain the many aspects of TKR and TKR recovery.

We are here to help in any way we can: answering questions and concerns; supporting and encouraging you from start to finish; giving you a place to vent, whine, complain if you need to; sharing experiences with one another; and having fun and some laughs along the way.

Take care and keep us posted. We care. vlaentine cat.jpg
 
There are a bunch of us here in our 40s who have had tkr. When the knee's shot, it's shot. The post above has lots of good info to help you evaluate.
 
You are NOT too young for a TKR!!!

It sounds like that questionable advice may have been provided by a GP. You need to meet with an experienced orthopedic surgeon, preferably one who works with younger patients and understands the quality of life issues that are affecting you. There is no "right age" where you are qualified to get your life back. If your life is affected, then there is nothing wrong with you wanting to regain activity you can no longer do. Arthritis might be slowed slightly with things like shots, but it cannot be cured.

If by some chance the surgeon you see echos that same old line about age, search out another (maybe more) and get multiple opinions. It's very important that the viewpoint of your medical team matches yours....you guys need to be on the same wavelength. There are plenty of people in their 40's (and younger) with new knees who will tell you they are happy to be enjoying life now and not waiting until some magic date when they are disabled enough for surgery.
 
tajekaur45, I just turned 42 and am looking at a partial replacement as soon as I am able to get things worked out to schedule it. I saw my OS three weeks ago fully expecting to get the "you are too young" speech. Much to my surprise, he immediately told me he recommended a partial replacement because mine is isolated to the patellofemoral compartment. He recommended getting it done as soon as possible and to not put it off. I just have to get caught up at work so I can schedule.

I think if you are bone on bone, things will never get better. They will continue to worsen. My OS did have me try physical therapy and shots but after a scope to clean out scar tissue from a previous surgery, he told me he didn't think there were any other conservative treatments that will help. I do believe most of the conservative measures, in my case, were taken to satisfy my insurance. So they would agree to allowing me to have a PKR.

I agree with what others have told you, a good Orthopaedic surgeon would look at your quality of life and not just your age.
 
Welcome, tajekaur45!

From the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons - aaos.org:

There are no absolute age or weight restrictions for total knee replacement surgery.
Recommendations for surgery are based on a patient's pain and disability, not age. Most patients who undergo total knee replacement are age 50 to 80, but orthopaedic surgeons evaluate patients individually. Total knee replacements have been performed successfully at all ages, from the young teenager with juvenile arthritis to the elderly patient with degenerative arthritis.

Insurance companies used to govern that 60 year old age restriction, but they haven't done that for many years.

Give the shots a try. Most of us have. I got a little bit of relief from prednisone injections and arthrocentisis. The relief only lasted days, though. I didn't have any luck with the hylagen injections, but I know many people did have relief. Every person that I have ever known, personally, that has had the shots, ended up with TKR surgery. (including me) My rheumy is wonderful. I never felt a thing when I had the injections. At every visit he reminded me that TKR surgery was in my near future.

Bottom line, we have all been where you are now. Soon you will opt for surgery, that I am sure of. Please do stay with us while you decide. Eventually, you'll be posting your recovery thread. :tada:
 
Howdy! :)

I was 45 when I had my left knee done and two months later had my right knee done! No, you aren't too young! As my OS put it "Do you want to live a life of quality or merely quantity?" Since then, I have traded in two knee braces and a 4 wheeled walker for a new life! My recovery has not been typical, but I knew my risks of MRSA were 50/50 before I had surgery due to 6 previous infections. Today, I have a silly kneecap that I am working on, going to PT 3 times a week, personal training 3-4 times a week and I have gone from 435 to 305 so far! :happydance: ! Is it worth it? You bet it is! I am living life to the fullest again! :wink:

I'm sorry, I forgot to say that I went through the the hyalgen, and Synvisc shots allots also! No help or me, ESP. Since I was already Bone on Bone with bone spurs breaking off and one trapping in thigh muscle! I thought I had torn my quad muscle. When the OS did the surgery on the left knee, he found 6 bone spurs the size of golf balls, and one had lodged itself in my thigh muscle! No torn muscle, just pain!
 
Hello everyone,
I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for giving me such hope and wonderful advice.This is much better than what i received from the specialist. I became severly depressed after i was told that it was the worst knee he had seen in his entire career! I was then told that i dont have many options besides wearing an acl brace or getting some sort of shots until i turn 50 at which time i should come back and see him and he will set up an appointment with an OS. I was so dumb founded when he said that doing a TKR surgery at this age is unheard of. I then thanked him and begged him to get me an appointment with an OS. He said he would try but might be at least 5 to 7 month wait. I thanked him and walked to my car and cried for half an hour at least but then i realized that i have to pick up my daughter from school and must put my emotions aside. I am now waiting for the appointment confirmation. If anyone on this thread knows of a good OS in British columbia, Canada i would really appreciate it. Also if you can tell me a link where i might be able to search for a canadian orthopedic surgeon that would be helpful too. Thank you all once again :)
 
Good morning! We have many Canadian BS friends and experts here. Today is your lucky day! No more crying, like I said most of us walked in your shoes. We will hold your hand, and talk you off the ledge if need be. I was told by my rheumy that my knees were the worst he has ever seen, too. When I saw my OS, and repeated that, he smiled and simply said, "It sure is time!" Also, remember that surgeons in general (and I mean in general....I realize there are exceptions to the rule.) are not warm and fuzzy. They care about the job that they do and the outcomes. They are focused on the great job that they do. My OS is compassionately kind and loving in his office and at the hospital, but when I see him in the parking lot or hall, he looks right through me. He only cares about my knee and that's fine with me because that's why I hired him.
I can't wait until I get home from work today and see all of the great information that you will have on your thread. You are going to be ok and we are all glad that you have joined our family!
 
Yep, as Nyland said, once you take the plunge and join us, you become a member of our huge family!

Have you googled any OS doctor's near you and checked ratings?
I know there is a clinic locator at the top of this page, but I don't know if it includes Canada.
You could check and see.
Know anyone that has had knee replacements that live around you? Ask them who did theirs and if they were happy with the outcome.
You might start with these a and I will see if I can get one Canadian who knows me, and how shy I am to come give you some further help!
JustmeT
 
Hi @tajekaur45k...I had an OS who told me for years that I was too young for a knee replacement, I went though all his hoops like physio, steroid shots, arthroscopy just to be put off again. I was lower than low because I have two young children that I was having a hard time keeping up with and he kept saying I had to wait 20 more years then 15 more years and so on. So finally he scheduled a MRI for both knees and after that I asked to see another surgeon, within five minutes the new surgeon asked me how soon I wanted my knees done. That was January 2012, within 9 months I had a pkr in both knees and its been going well since.

What I am trying to say is, don't let anyone tell you that you are too young, you are the one in pain all the time and you know you need something done about it. When you find an OS and you feel he isn't hearing you and giving you a run around, find another...I wish you luck in finding that OS right off the bat and that you can get your knee/s sorted out asap. This thing about being too young is just plain silly, its quality of life that counts!

Thanks Shy-One (aka Sonja and RestAssured) for the tag! :)
 
JustmeT, do you know how tajekaur45, would go about finding an OS in Canada? I am not familiar with across the border. Do you need a referral? Can you make an appointment? Where can she find information? I knew that with your outgoing self, you would be able to help!:happydance:

By the way I am taking a class titled "Learning how to overcome shyness!" Maybe I'll be as outgoing as you one of these days!:happydance:
 
JustmeT, do you know how tajekaur45, would go about finding an OS in Canada? I am not familiar with across the border. Do you need a referral? Can you make an appointment? Where can she find information? I knew that with your outgoing self, you would be able to help!:happydance:

By the way I am taking a class titled "Learning how to overcome shyness!" Maybe I'll be as outgoing as you one of these days!:happydance:

She would need a referral from her doctor at least that's the way it works in this province!

RestAssured will you be getting a certificate or a diploma at the end of your "Overcoming Shyness" class?
 
Hi guys, Yes we do need a referral in my province too and I have one now. I would also like to know if anyone has had the TKR with minimal blood loss as I am anemic and my iron is very low. I was told by my GP that it would be hard to find an OS that would do my surgery. I saw a machine on this thread that allows for minimum blood loss and would like to know if anyone here had that technology used in the surgery. I am very hopeful after I read all the replies. Thank you!
 
She would need a referral from her doctor at least that's the way it works in this province!

RestAssured will you be getting a certificate or a diploma at the end of your "Overcoming Shyness" class?

It will be a diploma @justme! :happydance: I would never do ANYTHING halfway!!! :rofsign:
 
I had a machine that filtered your own blood and sent it back in to the body after my first knee replacement! It worked very well.
 
Minimal blood loss for me. I also had no bruising or pain from a tourniquet. I'm not sure what was done to avoid either, but I find the AAOS a great place for information. They have a conference every year and present new studies and research. I love to peruse their site and then google or pubmed the presented papers. I bet that Orthodoc or Josephine can direct you to answers to your questions. They are very valid concerns that need answers from someone with this specialized medical background. So glad you have joined us!
 
Welcome to the board!! I have just turned 38 (days ago) and will be having my right knee replaced on Monday, March 18, 2013. I too have been told, over and over again, how very young I am and how it's best if I can wait until I'm 60. :headbang: After more than 20 years of knee issues, 6 surgeries and a very rapid decline this past year, I finally took matters in my own hands and started seeking second opinions.

In fact, I contacted to my previous OS who is now the acting Secretary of Health for our state and asked for his advice. I explained all the treatments I've tried in the last year and that I am still being told I am too young. He responded by giving me a name of the Director of Joint Replacement at Arlington Hospital and from that very first appointment I knew I was in the right hands.

My current OS explained that there is no cure for osteoarthritis but there are successful treatment options (TKR or PKR). He stated that generally, this is a disease of age and the majority of patients are 60 or older. This means that this treatment, is very effective for that age range. He said that younger patients can be challenging for some doctors because their joint may require this treatment, but it may then lead to revisions in the future.

Ultimately, my new doctor and I looked over the treatment options I've tried in the last year, as well as that daily function assessment that I brought with me and decided that it was time. In fact, when I told him of my goals post surgery (raising kids, family vacations, being a horse owner, exercise for fitness, teaching elementary school) he said that I could have those and more once I am recovered!! :dancy:

Anyway, I certainly didn't mean to tell my story in your thread, but wanted you to know that you are NOT alone in this. Keep trying and certainly start seeking other doctors.

Good luck and keep us posted!
 
Though OA is primarily a disease of the aging (boomers on up), any orthopedic injury to the knee area can set in motion the degenerative changes known as traumatic OA. I've know skiers and hoopsters in their early 30s who've ruptured one piece of soft tissue or another too many times and now have bone-on-bone knees. I didn't have OA anywhere except my neck until I slipped & fell onstage and blew out my left med. meniscus & ACL at 43--which led at 46 to my being unable to dart out of the way of a car bumper and I had my R tibia shattered. By 50 I was bone-on-bone in my L knee and, following the then-conventional wisdom of waiting as long as possible. dithered around with cortisone & Supartz shots and eventually ended up going bone-on-bone in my right, which was replaced at 61. "Lefty" will get its turn in June. Kicking myself (with my now-good leg) for not having it done as soon as my former OS told me "you tell me" when I asked at age 55 if it was time.

Why the old advice to wait? Well, there weren't many studies following up TKRs longer than 15-20 years; since then, the technology has gotten better and people have been living longer active lives afterward. The longer you wait and the worse it gets (especially if obesity was a factor) before you take the plunge, the less satisfactory the result. Most TKR patients don't need to get their knees re-replaced except for post-surgical complications; a knee replaced by a good OS today in a middle-ager who will not unduly stress it and will properly rehab it will probably remain intact for life. And even if it doesn't, few people live long enough to need a third round.
 
have been advised that I am too young for TKR b
Nonsense!! WE have had folk younger than you who have had a TKR! Age now is not really a big concern for those OS's who are knowledgeable about the newest ideas and implants! It is all about the quality of life!

was advised to get the shots.
That is part of the normal protocol, though; I had the Synvisc shots first (they worked for all of three days!) and then I had the cortisone shots which got me through about eight months. It is par for the course when dealing with the OS's and the insurance companies. Some people have gotten a couple years relief from them--but, in the end, though, ultimately, a TKR is in order to solve things.

Do you guys feel that 45 is too young?
Again, not at all! I was 53 when I had a BTKR, and my OS's both the original who referred me to the OS who performed the surgery---as well as the OS who did the BTKR---never, ever mentioned my age as a factor.
 
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